Folding chair



Ogt. 14, 1952 E. w. ANDERSON ET AL 2,513,729

' FOLDING CHAIR I Filed Aug. l8 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTORS ENFREDW. ANDERSON ARVID J.ANDERSON ATTORNEYS Oct. 14, 1952 E. w. ANDERSON ETAL FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1950 INVENTORS ENFREDW.ANDERSON ARVID J ANDERSON BY y/ %//2/ W ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 14,1952 OFFICE:

FOLDING CHAIR Enfred W. Anderson and Arvid J. Anderson, Norway, Mich.

Application August 18, 1950, Serial No. 180,118

7 Claims, (01. 155-140) This invention appertains to folding orcollapsible furniture and more particularly to a novel chair which canbe readily collapsed or opened by the mere raising or lowering of thechair seat.

One of the primary objects of our invention is to provide a foldingchair, which, when set up for use will be extremely strong and sturdy,and which will give the appearance of a perma nent full sized chair, andwhich when folded will occupy a minimum amount of space for storage andbe capable of standing upright alone on its four legs.

Another salient object of the invention is the provision of acollapsible chair embodying companion like side frames, with meanswhereby the frames can be hinged for swinging movement toward or awayfrom one another by the use of a single pivot bolt.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a chair seat, soformed that the same can be upholstered, if so desired, hingedly carriedby one side frame with a novel linkage connecting said side frames,actuated by the raising and lowering of the seat for moving the framesto a spread open position or to a collapsible, substantially verticalposition.

A further important object of the invention is to provide means forlocking the linkage when the seat is in its lowered position for bracingthe chair and its linkage.

Another further object of the invention is to provide additional latchlinks movable upon the opening and closing of the chair for preventingoutward spreading of the side frames beyond a predetermined point whenthe chair is open for use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novelbackrest for the chair carried by the pivot bolt for the side frames,movable to an operative back supporting position and to a collapsed,substantially vertical position, with means whereby the backrest isautomatically tightened relative to the side frames as thebackrest ismoved to its operative horizontal position, so that accidental movementof the backrest will be eliminated while the chair is in use. 7

- A still further important object of the invention 'is to provide afolding chair of the above character which will be durable and eificientin use, one that will be simple and easyto manu facture and one whichcan be placed upon the market at a reasonable price and which willpossess an attractive and substantial appearance.

vention consists in the novel construction, ar-. rangement and formationof parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure l is a side elevational view of our chair in its set up openposition ready for use.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the chair showing the same inits open set up position.

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 ofFigure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the linel-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustratingthe linkage connection between the side frames.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through the chairtaken on the ilne 5--5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of thearrows, the view also illustrating the linkage.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the chair in itsfolded, collapsed position.

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed transverse sectional viewthrough the chair taken on the line I-'I of Figure 3, looking in thedirection of the arrows, said view also illustrating the novel linkage.1 I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary rearelevational view' showing the backrest inits operative position in full lines and in its folded position indotted lines.

Figure 9 is a detailed sectional view through the back of the chairtaken on the line 9-4! of Figure 3, looking in the direction of thearrows, showing the chair in its set up position.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9- but showing the chair in itsfolded position.

Figure 11 is a detailed horizontal sectional view through the back ofthe chair taken on the line lI-H of Figure 9, looking in the directionof the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the

letter C generally indicates our novel foldingchair.

This chair 0 includes a pair of companion like side frames l5 and I6, achair seat I! and a backrest I8.

The frames [5 and 16 can be fabricated in any preferred manner, and forthe purpose of illustration, the side frame 15 includes a top rail l9,front and rear legs 20 and 2|. A back upright 22 is secured to theextreme rear end of. the side rail I9. The side frame I6 also includes atop rail 23, front and rear legs 24 and 25 and a back upright 26. Thefront legs and back legs preferably diverge toward the lower ends, inorder to provide a spread base for the chair, and obviously the frontleg and the rear leg 2| of one side frame and the front leg 24 and therear leg 25 of the other side frame can be connected adjacent to theirlower ends by brace rungs if so desired. The upper ends of the backuprights 22 and 26 have rigidly secured respectively thereto inwardlyextending overlapping plates 2'! and 28. The plate 21 is of a materialor" greater thickness than the plate 28 and these plates are pivotallyconnected by a centrally disposed pivot bolt 29. The bolt is heldagainst turning movement relative to the plate 28 by counter sinking thepolygonal portion of the bolt in said plate. The threaded end of thebolt projects forwardly in front of the plates 2'! and 28 for a purposewhich will be later set forth. The upright 22 has its rear face notchedas at 30, so that when the side frames I5 and I6 are swung on the boltto their open position, the lower corner of the plate 26 will abutagainst said shoulder and act as a stop.

The edge of the plate 27 adjacent to the back upright 26 is angled as at3| and 32, and the edge 3I also acts as a stop for engaging the upright26 when the side frames I5 and I6 are swung to an open position. Theedge 32 acts as a stop for these side frames when the side frames areswun toward one another to their collapsed position, and the backupright 26 will abut to said edge 32 (see Figure 10) Now referring tothe backrest I8, it can be seen that the same includes a back board 33,and this back board can be provided with any preferred type ofupholstering 34. Secured to the central portion of the backboard on theinner face thereof is a. cap nut or internally threaded socket 35, andthis nut or socket 35 is adapted to receive the threaded end of thepivot bolt 29. A friction washer 36 is preferably placed on the bolt andsecured to the plate 21, and a similar friction washer 31 is carried bythe back board 33 and receives the bolt when the bolt is' threaded intothe socket or nut 35. By this arrangement, the backrest can be moved toa horizontal operative position, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8,

or to a collapsed vertical position, as shown in.

Figure 6.

In actual practice the back I8 is threaded on the bolt, and whenthebackrest is turned to its horizontal operative position, the backresttightens-up on the bolt with the friction washers in binding contact,and in effect, the plates 21 and 28:are also brought into intimate tightcontact. This prevents accidental swinging movement of thebackrest outof its operative position. When the backrest isswung to its verticalposition, the same loosens or unthreads on'the bolt, and the plates 21and 28 are loosened. To limit the swinging movement of the backrest, thesame has rigidly secured thereto a stop block 38, and this block is sopositioned as to engage the lower edge of the plate-'2'! when thebackrest is in a horizontal position and to abut the backupright 26 whenthe same is moved to its vertical position. I

The chair seat I? includes a marginal frame, 39v to which is secured aseat board 46. The seat can be provided with upholstery should such bedesirable. side .of the seat to the rail IQ of the side frame- I5, sothat the seat can be swung gto-eithera Hinges 42 pivotallygconnect onehorizontal position over the frame I6 (see Figures 5 and 7) or to asubstantially vertical position (see Figure 6). When the seat I! isswung to its lowered position, and when the frames I5 and I6 are intheir open spread position, the seat frame 39 rests upon the upper facesof the rails I9 and 23 of the side frames I5 and I6. In order to providea rigidstructure, vtherail 23 and the adjacent edge of the seat frame 39can be provided with companion pins and sockets 43 and 44. Obviously,the pins 43 will be received in the sockets when the seat is lowered asis best shown in Figure 7. The front edge of the seat projects beyondthe front legs I5 and I6, and the seat has rigidly secured thereto adepending horizontal skirt board 45 which extends in front of the legsand front edges of the legs I9 and 23 and give the chaira finished anddesired appearance. If preferred or desired a flexible skirt 46 can becarried one another.

by the rear end of the seat II for hiding certain mechanism whichwill'now be described.

Forming an important feature of the invention isthe provision of meansfor automatically moving'the side frames I5 and I6 toward and away fromone another upon the raising and lowering of the seat II. This meansincludes companion front and rear toggles 41 and"48. Eachpf'the togglesincludes companion levers 49 and 50.- The inner ends of the levers 49and 50 of each toggle are pivotally connected bypivot pins 5 I, andthese pivot pins in turn carry a longitudinally extend faces of therails I9 and 20 of the side frames I5 and I6. Rockably mounted upon thepivot pins 5| are front and rear like operating links 55, and theselinks have their upper or outer ends'pivotally-connected as at 56 to thebottom of the seat II at one side of the hinges 42. v

In operation, andconsidering that the chair is inits setup position withthevseat I1 over the side-frames I5 and I6; and it is desired to fold orcollapse the chair, .the chair back I6 can be swung to its horizontalposition as heretofore described after which the side edge of the seat11 remote from the hinges 42 is grasped and swung upwardly toward avertical position. This will draw-up on the links andthe links 55 inturn will pull up on toggles 41 and 48,. and the levers 49 and 56thereof will bring the side frames to-' ward one another and into avertical position as .shown in Figure 6. When it is desired to opendown. The links 55 will push down on the toggles.

4'1 and 48 and push the sideframes away from This movement can be aidedby grasping the sideframe I6 and pulling the same away from the sideframe I5 as the chair seat I1 is lowered. At this point,'it is to benoted that a part of the brace for the chair bottom I! is centrallynotched as at 56 which constitutes a keeper for the rod 52, andconsequently, the. toggles are held down in their lower spread posi-,

tion. To prevent the side frames I5 and I6 from spreading out too farunder the weight of a person, front and rear pair of links 511and 58 areprovided. The outer ends of the; links are pivotally connectedto thepivot pins 53 for the outer ends of the toggles andrthe inner ends ofthe pair: of links '51 and 58yare-pivotally connected to-- jgether bypivot pins .59.. One.link; of each :pair

carries a stop pin 60 and the other pair of the links carry a stopshoulder (H which interengage when the links reach their substantiallyhorizontal position, as shown in Figure 7.

Attention is also called to the fact that when the chair is in its openposition, the legs of the side frames also diverge outwardly from oneanother. Hence, a broad solid foundation is provided for the chair.

Particular attention is also directed to the fact that when the chair isin its collapsed folded position that the side frames are in asubstantial vertical position, and that the legs will still act as asupport for the chair, so that the chair will stand alone even in itscollapsed position (see Figure 6).

It is to be understood that one example only of the chair has been shownand described, and that various changes in details of construction maybe made providing the same do not depart from the spirit or the scope ofthe invention.

We claim:

1. A folding chair comprising a pair of like companion side frames, eachof said frames including a top rail, depending front and rear legs, anda back upright, a pivot bolt pivotally connecting the side framestogether adjacent to the upper ends of the uprights, whereby said framescan be moved toward and away from one another, a chair seat hingedlyconnected to the rail of one frame and movable to an operative positionover the rail of the other frame when said frames are in their openspread position, and a back rest mounted on said bolt for swingingmovement, and said back rest being threaded on said bolt and movable toa tightened position on the bolt against the side frames when said backrest is swung to an operative horizontal position.

2. A folding chair comprising a pair of like side frames, each of saidframes including a top rail, depending front and rear legs and backuprights, means pivotally connecting the uprights together adjacent tothe upper ends of the side frames, whereby said frames can be movedtoward and away from one another to a collapsed or to an open position,a seat hingedly secured to the rail of one side frame movable to avertical non-operative position and to a lowered operative horizontalposition over the top rails of the frames, and means for automaticallymoving the side frames toward and away from one another upon the raisingand lowering of the seat, said means including front and rear pairs oftoggles, each pair of toggles including levers pivotally connectedtogether at their inner ends and pivot ally connected at their outerends to the side frames and operating links pivotally connected to thetoggles at the pivot points of the levers and to the said seat.

3. The folding chair as defined in claim 2, and a rod connectin saidfront and rear toggles together at their pivot, whereby said toggleswill work in unison, and said seat having a keeper notch for receivingsaid rod when the seat is in a lowered position.

4. The folding chair as defined in claim 2, and latch links pivotallyconnected at their outer ends Cil to the frames and pivotally connectedtogether at their inner ends, and means for limiting the swingingmovement of the links relative to one another.

5. The folding chair as defined in claim 2, and pins carried by the railof the side frame opposite to the rail carrying the seat, and said seathaving sockets adapted to receive the pins when the seat is in itslowered position and the frames are in their spread open position.

6. A folding chair comprising a pair of like companion side frames, eachof said frames including a top rail, depending front and rear legs, anda back upright, overlapping plates carried by the upper ends of theuprights, a pivot bolt connecting said plates together, whereby saidframes can be moved toward and away from one another, a chair seathingedly connected to the rail of one frame and movable to an operativeposition over the rail of theother frame when said frames are in theiropen spread position, said pivot bolt being between and spaced from theupper ends of the side frames, whereby to space the side frames one fromthe other to form a base when the side frames are in their collapsedposition, and a back rest mounted on said bolt for swinging movement,said back rest being threaded on said bolt and movable to a tightenedposition on the bolt against said plates when said back rest is swung toan operative horizontal position.

7. A folding chair comprising a pair of like side frames, each includinga top rail, dependent front and rear legs and a back upright, meanspivotally connecting the side frames together adjacent to the upper endsof the uprights, whereby the side frames can be swung toward and awayfrom one 7 another, a seat hingedly secured to the rail of one sideframe movable to a substantially vertical collapsed position and to asubstantially horizontal position over the side frames, an operableconnection between the seat and side frames for moving the side framestoward and away from one another by the raising and lowering of theseat, and said operable connection including toggles having togglelevers pivotally connected together at their inner ends and pivotallyconnected to their side frames at their outer ends, and links pivotallyconnecting the toggles at the pivot point of the toggle levers to theseat.

ENFRED W. ANDERSON. ARVID J. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

